Won't You Please, Stop and Breathe?
by EvilMuffinLord
Summary: Preparation for midterms has left the entirety of Class 1A stressed out, but for one particular couple the stress is just the beginning.


_I shouldn't have agreed _Izuku thought to himself for the thousandth time. _I should have told her to wait, to rest, to…._ He slammed his palm into the wall in frustration, cracking the plaster. After more than two years of intense training, even his unaugmented blows were a force to be reckoned with.

He sat outside Recovery Girl's office on a small and surprisingly comfortable bench. He didn't feel it though. His mind was stuck firmly on the girl lying in the office right now, wishing desperately that he could do something to help her

The signs had been there for days now, but he hadn't heeded them. He's let himself be brushed off, be distracted, be fooled. And now she was paying the price.

* * *

It was exam season at UA, and Mina had been both nervous beyond belief, and dedicated to the extreme. Coming into the midterms of their second year had left them all with a lot to prove, but Mina had even more reason to fight. She had been one of the few to fail the exams the first year, both written and physical. She'd come a very long way since that point, and the girl who now attended UA would have been difficult to recognize when compared to her past self.

She had thrown herself into training with great gusto, putting in extra time after classes wrapped up for the day working on both her physical strength and sparring. The class had gained a healthy respect for the pink girl's talent and reflexes when it came to hand to hand. She wasn't winning every fight, but she was winning a majority, and in their class that was worthy of great respect.

Done with the physical part of the day, she would bury her nose in a textbook while she ate. She somehow managed to make conversation while doing this, but it was half hearted at best. Her usual bubbly presence had dimmed, and it brought the mood of the entire class.

For Izuku, it was particularly difficult.

The pair hadn't been on a date in two weeks, which was unusual for them. Mina loved coming up with ideas for them to spend time together, even if it was just a brief jaunt to a shop she had heard of near campus that had just opened.

She still cuddled with him in the evenings, like usual, but even that had taken on a different air. She did her best to steer the conversations, trying to get him to talk about the hero battles he had watched religiously growing up. At first he had been relieved, thinking this was a new method of stress relief she was trying. Eventually he realized that this was just another study method for her.

A part of him had wanted to say something, but every time he tried to, he stopped short. Her training was beyond intense, yes, but was he really one to talk. His own training for UA had been very draconian. So instead of saying something, he tried to be there for her as best he could, slipping in jokes and funny stories as they talked into the evenings while he ran his fingers through her hair.

* * *

It was two days before the exams were set to start, and Mina was looking run down. Her skin had lost a lot of its usual luster, and her eyes were half open at the best of times. The entire class had noticed, and had tried to bring it up gently to her.

She brushed it off, making a crack about Izuku keeping her up too late the night before, wiggling her eyebrows all the while.

Most took the joke as a good sign. It was a return to form for their friend, if only slightly. Besides, there was only two more days till exams. After that, everything would be fine.

Izuku was even more worried though. He'd had to practically throw her out of his room the night before, trying to get her to go to bed. She had promised him she would go right to sleep. She didn't know that he'd followed her up later, and had seen the light coming from under her doorway as she studied. She didn't know he'd heard her muttering, telling herself that she needed to push harder to keep her place, to stand on the same stage as her classmates. To fight on the level of the boy she loved.

He hadn't known what to say. He didn't have the words to reassure her, because he knew those questions all too well. Knew how they ate at you in the dark hours. Knew how they pushed you to fight, for fear of what answering them meant.

So he had turned, and left. And later, he would regret that decision immensely.

* * *

"Mind if I join you?" Mina asked, breaking Izuku out of his funk.

He'd been taking a rare opportunity between classes to put in some extra training time of his own before exams. He was confident when it came to academics, and had a few tricks up his sleeve for the practical portion, but a little extra strength training never hurt.

He slowed the treadmill down to a much more sustainable pace, and nodded at her. He was panting to hard at the moment for any real conversation to take place.

Mina fired up her own treadmill, quickly matching his pace. The couple had trained together quite a bit during their time at UA, so matching each other had become almost second nature.

They ran in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being their panting breaths.

Finally, Izuku could take it no longer. "Mina, can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure" She said, panting heavily. Her eyes were trained forward, but Izuku could see she wasn't really focused on her movements. She seemed to be drifting.

"I….I'm worried about you. I get that you want to do well on the exam, but it feels like you're pushing yourself way too hard."

"I'm fine" she said, raising the speed on the treadmill a few notches. It takes her from a steady jog to the barest edge of a sprint.

"Mina, I haven't seen you take a break in days. The exam is tomorrow. You need rest." He'd said it as gently as he could, but it only seemed to make things worse.

"I don't… have time… for a break." Mina panted. She's running too fast, form starting to break down. Even still, she kept increasing the pace, not caring about her running form any more.

"Mina, you're going to do fine tomorrow. You're going to blow the test out of the water. But only if you rest." A quick button press brought the treadmill he was using to a halt.

He turned to face Mina, taking in her loping strides that are just barely keeping pace with the treadmill. He takes in the arm held tight to her chest to fight against the pain she's feeling. Her normally vibrant skin has faded and dulled, making her look more haggard than he's ever seen.

He takes a moment to glance around the gym, thankful that they're alone for once. He turns back to his girlfriend, and pulls out his last trump card.

"Frosting, can you stop for me?" It's a private nickname, one the rest of the class will never hear uttered by either of them. It's a name he only uses when he's holding her close, said in whispers only she can hear. It's a name that shows how much he cares for her.

It takes a moment, but she stops. The whir of the treadmill fades away, as do the thud of her footsteps, leaving only her gasping breaths.

It was then that Izuku realized something was very wrong. They had fought together and against each other many times over the last year and half. He knew what she looked like exhausted, and this was something very different.

"I-Izu I…..I don't…. Something's….." She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence before she dropped like a stone.

Izuku lunged forward, barly catching her shoulder and keeping her head from smacking into the ground. Her horns scraped against his shoulder, but he paid it no mind. His thoughts were on something much more important.

"Mina! Talk to me! Mina!"

She isn't moving, head lolled back, eyes unfocused and unreactive.

"Mina!" He shook her as hard as he dared, but she didn't respond. He placed his fingers on her throat and found only a weak pulse, her breath barely discernible.

His mind kicked into overdrive. He didn't have anything resembling medical training, but he was sure this wasn't a normal illness, or even exhaustion. This was something serious, and something he didn't have the capacity to handle.

He scooped her limp form into his arms and called on his Quirk. Red lines of power surged across his limbs, resolving into bolts of green lightning. Strength rushed through him, and he broke into a flat out sprint, not caring about the small cracks he was leaving in the floor. They could be repaired. Mina could not.

His experience with Shoot Style payed dividends as he ran, letting him easily kick open doors as he went without breaking stride. He made a beeline for Recovery Girl's office, leaping around and over students and other obstacles. He thought he heard some familiar voices calling his name, but couldn't spare the time to see who it was.

It takes far too long to get to Recovery Girl's office in Izuku's opinion. Sure, with how much force he put behind every leap, the entire journey can't have taken more than a minute, but that's a minute that Mina might not have been able to spare.

He tried to kick the door open, forgetting that this one was a sliding style entry, rather than a swinging door. It flew off its hinges and crashed into the wall beyond. He mentally added it to the tab of things he was going to catch hell for later.

The office was well light, open, and completely empty. Recovery Girl was nowhere to be seen. Izuku felt his pulse quicken even more than it already had been. He'd been counting on her being there, to help Mina, or to tell him what to do.

A soft gasp from Mina drew his attention to her once more. Her eyes had rolled back in her head. Izuku checker her pulse, and his stomach dropped. He couldn't feel anything.

He spun around, searching the office desperately for something to help, but found nothing. The instruments were all entirely foreign to him, and he couldn't even begin to guess at their function.

"Midoriya?" Came a voice from behind him.

He turned, and saw Uraraka, Jirou, and Kaminari standing in the doorway, worried looks on their faces.

HIs eyes snapped to Kaminari, and in that moment he concieved a desperate plan. He lunged forward, grabbing Kaminari's arm and dragged the boy into the office with him. He set Mina on the bed as quickly as he could without hurting her, then turned to his blond classmate.

"Mina's heart stopped. I need you to shock her, right now." His voice has an edge to it, that pierces through the panic. It lends an air to his words, that lets those who hear them know that what he's saying isn't a request, but an order. In the moment, none of them can quite place where they've heard such a tone before.

It's only later that they will remember hearing it from their teachers in the many times that they've been in peril, or from pro heroes in dire straights.

It's the tone of a Hero who's saving someone's life.

Kaminari blanches. He may be hearing the words, but the meaning behind them paralyzes him. He's never attempted anything like this, isn't even sure he can do it.

"Midoriya I-I can't. I don't know how to."

A dozen scenarios run through Izuku's head. He might be able to convince Kaminari to try, might be able to talk the blonde through his panic, but it will take much too long, and Mina can't afford to wait that long. Instead, Izuku opts for the strategy that will get her the most help quickly.

It's a quick calculation, weighing the damage it will do to his relationships and friends against the possibility of Mina suffering for even a second longer than necessary. The risk to his own body doesn't even enter into the calculation.

Izuku keeps a file on every Quirk user he encounters, cataloging any strengths and weaknesses he observes, and remembering them in case he encounters a similar Quirk in the future. In doing this, he's amassed quite a lot of observations about his classmate's Quirks. He knows that Dark Shadow wilts in the light, that Tsuyu shuts down in the cold, and that Jirou is vulnerable to loud noises. Most importantly, he knows that Kaminari activates his Quirk instinctively when he takes damage unexpectedly.

Izuku placed his left hand on Mina's heart, and grabbed Kaminari's hand in his right. He activated One for All once more, counting on it to help him absorb most of the voltage that was about to come. He sent a silent prayer that his resistance would be just enough to limit the damage, but not enough to block the electricity from reaching Mina entirely.

Then he broke Kaminari's finger in one swift motion.

The effect is immediate. Electricity coursed through all three of them, and Izuku grit his teeth through the pain. It tore at his senses even as it coursed through his body, but he was more than passingly familiar with pain. After you've torn your body to pieces willingly to land a single punch, you learn how to deal with pain.

After a long second, he put as much willpower as he could muster into opening his hand and releasing Kaminari. The blond stumbled back, face devolving into a idiotic grin as the electricity began to fade.

Izuku only had eyes for Mina though. A long moment passed where nothing happened. Then Mina convulsed, and gasped. Objectively, it was a horrible, rattling gasp that should have sent shivers down Izuku's spine, but in the moment it was the sweetest sound he could have heard.

The combination of relief and electrical shock finally overwhelm him, and he fell backwards, slamming painfully into the floor below, not even making a move to catch himself.

Uraraka rushed forward to help her friend, and Jirou did the same for Kaminari. The rapid fire events had left them reeling, and they were only just now catching up.

"What happened in here?" Recovery girl asked as she stepped through the destroyed entryway. She looked more than a little upset to see her carefully tidied office in shambles. When she caught sight of Izuku, she sighed deeply. "I should have known. I step out for five minutes and you're creating chaos. What's happened this time? Have you managed to break even more of your bones?"

Izuku shook his head weakly. "Mina" He pointed to the gurney next to him. "She stopped breathing. Used Kaminari to shock her."

Recovery Girl's eyes went wide, and she moved over to Mina's side. She quickly examined the girl, checking her heartbeat, breathing, and pupils. When she was done, Izuku had managed to shake off most of the lingering effects of the shock.

"I hate to say it, but I think in this situation, you made the right call." Recovery girl said, settling into her chair. "It seems Young Ashido suffered a heart attack, likely due to severe stress. She seems to be suffering from malnutrition and dehydration as well." She shook her head sadly.

She kicked them out immediately following her exam, pausing only to heal the damage Izuku and Kaminari had taken, telling them to go to class, and not to worry. Thanks to her healing, all Mina needed was a bit of rest before she felt a lot better.

Izuku couldn't just go back, not when Mina was right there. If she needed him, he wanted to be there. He parked himself on a convenient bench across from the office, not responding to any of his friend's questions or attempts to speak to him. He simply sat and stared at the door.

Izuku could afford to skip class, but the rest weren't quite so lucky. They reluctantly left their friend sitting there, promising to return when class was done, and to let everyone know that he and Mina were ok. Izuku nodded slightly at that, which they took to be a good sign.

* * *

When Recovery Girl emerges from her office, she doesn't look surprised at all to see him sitting there. She looks resigned instead.

"She's waking up now. It will do her good to have a friendly face when she does."

Izuku practically bolts out of his seat to enter. Mina is still lying on the cot where he placed her before, though Recovery Girl apparently took the time to cover her with a thin blanket.

He could see her eyelids fluttering as he stepped closer. He reached out and gently took her hand. A moment later, she squeezed it lightly.

"Izu?" Her voice was faint, and more than a little confused. "What happened?"

"We were working out, and you collapsed. I brought you to Recovery Girl. You…" He paused, not quite sure how to break it to her. "Mina you had a heart attack."

She shocked Izuku by laughing weakly. "Guess I really screwed up, huh?"

"Quite" Recovery Girl said from her desk. The elderly hero was filling out paperwork, probably relating to Mina's condition. "You're not the first student to exhaust themself before exams, but yours is one of the more extreme cases. I've healed the damage from the attack, as well as your sweethearts impromptu treatment, but you still need rest. I can only heal the effects of illness, not the cause."

She ripped the lower half of the paper shed been writing on off and handed it to Izuku, then faced Mina. "Three days of rest with NO TRAINING. Study if you must, but keep it to an absolute minimum. I'll speak to Aizawa about getting you an exam extension. Keep in mind that this is a one time deal, and only because this is the first time I've seen you in my office all year, unlike someone I know." She aimed a pointed glare at Izuku who even now was her most frequent visitor by a country mile.

A pager on her hip heroes loudly, and she snatched it up with a sigh. "And yet another poor soul needs healing. Please excuse me, but stay until you feel completely better. And remember, no training!" With that, she strode out of the door, which had been clumsily reattached, closing it behind her.

* * *

"Well, there goes my 'least time in the nurse's office' record." Mina said ruefully.

Izuku didn't respond, and she turned her head to look at him. He still held tight to get hand, but there was a very distant look in his eyes.

"I'm kinda disappointed actually. I liked holding that over Kirishima's head."

Izuku nodded slightly at that, and Mina got the distinct impression that he wasn't listening to a word she was saying.

"I guess now would be a bad time to tell you that I'm pregnant, huh?"

This time he didn't even nod, just continued to stare into space. Mina rolled her eyes, and flicked her boyfriend in the forehead. It was unusual to see him spaced out without a stream of muttered observations streaming out of him.

"You know, it's considered polite to listen when people are talking to you." She teased. She was feeling stronger now, almost back to normal. Or at least as normal as she had felt in the last few weeks, which meant gritty, run down, and struggling to keep her eyes from folding closed.

He blinked, coming back to his body. He looked at her for a moment, and then his face crumpled. All of the emotions that he had been holding inside came flooding out, and his eyes overflowed with tears. It wasn't the first time Mina had seen him cry, but the fat droplets surprised her every time.

"M-Mina I was...I was so worried!" He sobbed, planting his face into her shoulder.

She reached her arms around his shaking shoulders and pulled him close. She felt a prickle at the back of her own eyes. The collapse had been traumatizing for her as well, and when combined with all the stress she'd been under, it was a heavy burden to bear. She'd been unconsciously dealing with it in the same way she had been during the last week, pushing the feelings down and hiding under a layer of humor.

Now, given a chance to release, she cried too, tears coming close to matching Izuku's. In short order, they each had a large wet patch on their shirts from the other's tears. They didn't speak, merely held each other close as they let all their feelings out in one long burst.

Eventually, they both ran short of tears. They pulled back slightly, but neither was willing to let go completely. They linked their arms, and leaned against each other, taking comfort from the other's warmth.

"I'm sorry" Izuku said softly.

"Don't be." Mina replied. "It was….I needed a good cry. It helped."

Izuku nodded, understanding exactly what she felt. He felt exhausted, but relieved, like a weight he hadn't known he'd been carrying had finally been lifted.

"It was hard. Seeing you like that. I didn't know what to do, or how to help you. I was scared."

She squeezed his hand in a comforting gesture, but she could feel a smile tugging at her face. "I'm sorry? Mr. Self Sacrifice found it tough to see someone he cares about hurt? Welcome to my world."

Izuku smiled as well. He knew he had been tough on Mina in the past, and given her more than one hospital scare.

"I know, now more than ever. I'll try to be better in the future."

"Only try?"

"I am what I am." He said with a shrug.

Mina laughed at that, a full body stomach laugh this time. Izuku joined in a moment later. It was difficult having a reputation as class problem child, but Izuku had come to embrace the role.

"I love you Sparks" Mina said softly.

He pulled her close, and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Love you too Frosting." She flushed a little. A part of her always loved hearing her call her that. He said it in a way that made her feel like the most special person in the world.

As much as she wanted to stay like that forever, Mina knew they should get going. She may have a mandate to avoid studying, but Izuku doesn't. She groaned as she stood, flexing her back to work out a few of the kinks that had developed while she slept. Izuku stood as well, watching her carefully for signs of relapsing.

"Let's head back to the dorms." Mina said. "Everyone's in class right now, so we'll have the dorms to ourselves for a while."

Izuku raised an eyebrow at that. "There's still Modern Heroics left today. I probably shouldn't skip more class this close to exams."

Mina let a mischievous grin cross her face. "You sure about that? You know how easily I get bored when I don't have someone to talk to. I might even decide to do a bit of training to relieve my boredom…"

"Don't you dare!" He said in mock outrage. He knew she was sensible enough not to try anything, but still felt it prudent to stop that line of joking right here and now.

"You're gonna have to cuddle me if you want to be extra sure."

He smiled a wide and honest smile that always lifted Mina's heart when she saw it. It was bright, and good, and so very beautiful. And it looked perfect on her boyfriend's face.

"Now that, I can definitely do."

The couple walked arm in arm, ready to enjoy some much needed R&R, perfectly content to be in the arms of their lover once more.


End file.
